How much food waste globally each year!
The food we consume globally is far from what is produced across the World. Food wastage across the world is an issue that is having a direct impact environmentally, socially and economically. It is estimated that 8-10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions are connected with food that is wasted.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP’s) Food Waste Index Report 2021, people globally waste 1 billion tonnes of food each year. The devastated one-third of all food produced globally is lost or wasted. The UNEP report mentioned that Food systems reform is significant in tackling the planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss and pollution and waste.
UNEP’s Food Waste Index Report offers a common methodology for measuring food waste and tracking progress on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3 and provides new estimates of global food waste based on the most comprehensive food waste data collection to date.
The Food Waste Index Report has highlighted that household food waste is a global challenge and supports action in areas that are just getting started. The report highlighted that the gap between food produced and consumed is due to waste and poor management. The problem that needs to be addressed right now is that most people are guilty of leaving some food on their plates every time.
Sustainable Food Systems Programme Officer Clementine O’Connor said that UNEP is taking several measures to tackle the food waste crisis. UNEP launched the ‘Think Eat Save’
global public awareness campaign in 2013. It also contributed to the creation of Champions 12.3, which is a union of executives committed to halving food waste by 2030, and developing the Food Loss and Waste Accounting and Reporting Standard.
UNEP is now launching Regional Food Waste Working Groups in Africa, Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Caribbean, and West Asia as part of the GO4SDGs Initiative. These working groups will provide technical support and peer-to-peer learning at the regional level, helping 25 countries measure baselines and develop national food waste prevention strategies.
